Illinois 'Sneaker Tax' Would Fund Youth Job Programs

But merchants aren't exactly calling the idea a slam dunk

Illinois is looking to pump-up its coffers by adding a 25 cent tax to all sales of sneakers, reports the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Democratic State Rep. Will Davis has introduced legislation that would tack on a quarter dollar tax to sales of athletic shoes as a method of funding a youth jobs program. And since youth are the biggest purchasers of sneakers, says Davis, the tax would be levied on those who'd benefit the most from his efforts.

"Who wears athletic shoes the most? It's probably kids," said Davis. "Funding is challenged; I see [this] as a uniquely creative way of helping youth."

That may be, but others aren't so taken by the idea. Like certain members of the state's Retail Merchants Association, not surprisingly.

Glad I don't live in Illinois, that entire state is quickly becoming a cesspool of tax & spend, not to mention the crime-infested dump of a city called Chicago....Nope, they can have it. I for one shall do no business with the State of Illinois.

In miami-dade, they levied a half penny sales tax for the completetion of the Metro-rail Phase two and everyone cheered! Fifteen years later our transportation authority MDX or the county government if you will, came out and said the funds were misallocated and spent elsewhere (nobody knows), furthermore, they said the expansion could not get done, they would not be refunding any of those funds, and due to other local government expansions, they would not be repealing the tax. So, you all should be asking how many sneakers could possibly be sold? How that little quarter per sale will help youth employment? How many and what type of jobs will be created? And why only youths? Are there not jobless adults there too? Sounds discriminative! Don't count on the government too much!

It has nothing to do with Obama. We have been getting constantly hit with taxes way before Obama was elected. But, if it makes you feel better to blame Obama go right ahead. The Super Bowl power outage was his fault too, right?

@Ashstop So your saying that Bush should not be blamed for the worst financial crisis this country has faced since the great depression, even though it happened on his watch and is due, in part, to his policies? Who is to blame then? Jimmy Carter? Millard Fillmore? John Adams? Or, maybe you could blame every single liberal that has lived, is living, and will live in this country.

"And since youth are the biggest purchasers of sneakers, says Davis, the tax would be levied on those who'd benefit the most from his efforts." That's the most asinine statement....."youth are the biggest purchasers of sneakers" Just how do "youth" buy sneakers....from the money they make in the coal mine? JeezYa know, why don't these "politicians" just shackle all of us to the grind stone....and work us until we die. I guess 2day I'm on my "tax revolt" kick.....

Face it, this is what the dems. do. They tax everything, we call it being nickeled and dimed to death. It's common to Dem. Mayors and Governors, see CA, Il, NY etc. Republican governors LOWER taxes and lower expenses and their states are busy and have lower unemployment rates. Now, certainly WE can see the correlation, why can't the left? Oh, right, they want the hard working to "pay their fair share" so they can continue to spend over 70% of their revenues on entitlements. That doesn't leave much left over for other spending.

@Neo_NtheMatrix Neo, take 1 minute and read my profile! Though I'm neither democrude nor republican't.....I always have believed in small government....Can anyone name me one Secretary of (any dept) that's truly needed? Federal government needs to stand down and let the states govern themselves! If we allowed statehood to be treated like a business, we would be much better off. If you don't like a business, you don't do business with it. and it will go out of business If a state's people don't like it's laws, you can leave the state, it revenues will shrink and it will "go out of business"!

Absolutely no limit to what these Democrat political prostitutes will do to make money - instead of tightening their own budget belt & stop their tax & tax & spend & spend & tax some more mentality. Term limits - clean them all out .

I love how he's quoted as saying its "probably kids" who buy the most sneakers and athletic shoes. That informs me that he hasn't actually done any substantial research, but rather proposed a bill to raise taxes exhorbinatly where he thinks he can get away with it.

Yes I would support a sneaker tax if all of the money went to youth programs....I wouldn't mind paying an extra 10 bucks on top of the price of my new kicks if the money saved a kids life. People who don't support youth programs are stupid and selfish and I hope their kids get dragged down a dark path in their life's

If you read the article, this is a STATE tax, not a CITY tax. Do you see the difference? Oh, unless you mistakenly think Chicago is the state capitol. Mimi, it was required that we pass an exam on state capitols to graduate Jr. High. Do you not know that Springfield is the state capitol of Illinois? Therefore, any alleged corruption within the Chicago city govt has absolutely nothing to do with this proposed tax.

@mtkopf I am fully aware what goes on in Illinois, my husband is from there and I lived there for about a year... You are ignorant, since name calling seems to be what you do best. Chicago is where most of the crime is in Illinois...or haven't youbeen paying attention? Where do you think the FYJ Programs would be needed?maybe in the poorest, deadliest and biggest city in the State?! Or Springfield???BTW~ Have you ever been there? State tax, City tax, Illinois is a crooked as a dogs hind leg. Bottoms up!

@mimi57 I have told you many times I have lived in Chicago for most of my 43 yrs . Now I reside in a burn right outside Chicago so yes I have "been there".

These programs are spread throughout the state but, yes the youth in Chicago would benefit more bc of the relative size of the population.

As for Chicago being the poorest city in the state, I don't think so. I believe East St. Louis may hold that title. I will look it up and get back to you.

Just bc you lived in or near Chicago for a short time many yrs ago does not make you knowledgeable on what goes on here. I was in the Navy 20 yrs ago, does that make me an expert on today's Navy? No, it does not bc times change, things change, bc I don't live iteveryday. Point is: you claim to be knowledgeable on cChicago bc you lived here for a year and your husband used to.live here but unless you live here now, experience what happens here now, and hear about the goings on in the news everyday, you cannot speak knowledgeably on the subject, and THAT Mimi is why I said your ignorance is overwhelming.

@mtkopf My in-laws still reside there by the way. Are you saying it's getting better?.. Chicago'spop. is slightly over two and a half mill.people. In 2012, they had 504 murders, or about 42 murders a month, 75% of the victims were between the ages of 15-35 male,black, and many were gang affiliated. Walter Williams, a columnist recently hammered black leaders from Obama down for "racial demogoguery". It's been run by Dems for decades.

In contrast New York City, has a population of almost 8 million people, and last year they had 596 homicides... if you compare the number of people in NYC. to Chicago,you will surely see that the murder rate is disproportinately higher in Chicago. Some things never change. While I think it is a beautiful city, the amount of corruption and high murder rates are unlikely to change as long as the same people are re-elected.And leaders continue to turn a blind eye...